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Equality Bill [HL]

My Lords, I, too, welcome the amendments, which take us a long way towards what we have been asking for. The Government have listened very carefully to what has been said. I wonder if my noble friend Lady Ashton will emulate my noble friend Lady Scotland in responding to an amendment a few minutes ago, when she said that she would look one last time at what was being proposed. Will the Minister look one last time at these amendments and at the interpretation of ““harassment””, which does not seem quite as strong as it could be? It is rather a narrow interpretation in the sense that it does not, for example, cover third persons. Will the Minister also look at the whole question of the introduction of exemptions that will be covered when we get the EU directive on goods and services? There will be a short period of some months when different standards will be employed as to what is included in the Bill and what is excepted. That could cause great confusion to public bodies. Would it be possible to incorporate the EU directive in this Bill rather than wait until December 2007, when the directive would have to be implemented anyway?